Cigarette extinguishing ash receptacle



Oct. 8, 1968 B. B. CHAPMAN 3,404,693

CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHING ASH RECEPTACLE Filed 001;. 19, 1965 rzi 'g :re8080 0 22 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 G 0 i I I INVENTOR United States Patent3,404,693 CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHING ASH RECEPTACLE Burton B. Chapman, LosAngeles, Calif. (1612 W. Shorb St., Alhambra, Calif. 91803) Filed Oct.19, 1965, Ser. No. 497,684 4 Claims. (Cl. 131-235) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE The specification discloses a cigarette extinguishing ashreceptacle which, in one form, may be mounted on a conventional motorvehicle ash tray and which includes a cut-off panel having a pluralityof through-apertures, each having an effective diameter no larger, andusually slightly smaller, than the diameter of the unburned body portionof a cigarette so as to be capable of receiving the ignited burning tipend thereof up to the location of a junction plane between the burnedand unburned portions of a cigarette so that lateral reciprocation willshear off only the burned portion of the cigarette and drop same into anunderlying ash receptacle and will leave virtually all unburned tobaccoremaining on the fresh unburned tip end of the cigarette. In onepreferred form, the cut-off panel is adapted for controllably removableengagement with respect to a conventional projecting snuffer tab of aconventional motor vehicle ash tray, thus providing a very effectivemeans for mounting the entire device on a pre-existing motor vehicle ashtray.

Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the ash tray artand, more particularly, to a cigarette ignitedend extinguisher apparatuswhich may, in one form, comprise an auxiliary attachment means adaptedfor removable "attachment with respect to a previously pre-existing ashtray and which, in another form, may comprise such a cigaretteignited-end extinguisher apparatus initially supplied with an ash tray.Broadly speaking, the ash tray may comprise virtually any type of ashtray, but in one particularly highly advantageous exemplary form of theinvention, wherein its advantages are most pronounced, the ash tray maycomprise a motor vehicle ash tray, either of the type conventionallymounted in or under the instrument panel or dashboard of the motorvehicle and, in some cases, in arm-rest portions positioned eitheradjacent to the front seat or the rear seat of a motor vehicle or atvarious other convenient locations within the interior of the body of amotor vehicle.

While the advantages of the present invention exist when it is used inassociation with any type of ash tray, its advantages are mostoutstanding and pronounced when it is used in association with the typeof motor vehicle ash tray referred to above, which is customarilymounted in the instrument panel or dashboard of a motor vehicle in frontof a front seat of the motor vehicle in a position for convenient accessinto the interior thereof by either the driver of the motor vehicle oranother person sitting in the front seat of the motor vehicle. Since itis under these circumstances that the invention provides its greatestadvantages and since this is particularly true when the device of thepresent invention is used by the driver of the motor vehicle forextinguishing the ignited end of a cigarette and for disposal of theremaining butt portion of the cigarette, it will be described primarilyin connection with this particular type of usage of the presentinvention. However, it should be clearly understood that this is not inany way to be construed as limiting the present in vention, but ismerely thought to comprise a particularly advantageous way of describingthe present invention and its advantages.

It should be noted that, at the present time when a driver of a motorvehicle who is smoking a cigarette wishes to extinguish same, he isfaced with a slight problem since some of his attention is diverted fromthe road, Where it belongs, during the cigarette extinguishing and buttdisposal operations. This is necessitated by reason of the constructionof conventional prior art motor vehicle ash trays of the type referredto herein. In other words, when a driver of a motor vehicle wishes toextinguish a cigarette and dispose of the butt, and when the vehicle issupplied with a conventional prior art type of dashboard-mounted ashtray, the driver will find that he must first of all reach over with hisright hand to grasp the ash tray handle and to then apply outward forcethereto for pulling out (or pivoting out) the ash tray, which isnormally in the form of a slidably mounted (or, in some cases, pivotallymounted) drawer or t-ray, so that it will be extended and have its topopening in a position for convenient access thereinto. This operationcan usually be performed more or less through use of the sense oftouch-that is, the driver uses his right hand to feel for the cigaretteash tray drawer so that he may grasp same and forcibly move thecigarette ash tray out into an extended position in the manner justreferred to. Normally this does not require that the driver diver hiseyes downwardly into the interior of the car to actually look for thethe ash tray and, thus, this particular operation is not necessarilyhazardous or likely to cause an accident.

However, the driver next must remove the cigarette butt from his mouthand direct the ignited end of the cigarette downwardly and he mustlocate the conventional horizontally projecting cigarette snulfer tab,which is positioned within the extended ash tray, so that he may pressthe ignited tip end of the cigarette down thereinto and, in some cases,twist same slightly in an attempt to extinguish the ignited end of thecigarette, after which he drops the butt into the interior of the ashtray.

It is extremely difficult for the driver of the motor vehicle to performthe cigarette-snufiing operation just referred to above withoutdiverting his attention at least momentarily from the road where itbelongs. This normally means that the driver of a motor vehicle willfind it necessary to look downwardly toward his right within theinterior of the motor vehicle body and toward the ash tray in order tosee where the above-mentioned horizontally projecting snuffer tab islocated so that he may aim the ignited tip end of the cigarette buttdirectly downwardly thereonto in order to perform the snulfing operationreferred to above. This is made necessary by reason of the fact that thehorizontally projecting snuffer tab has an operative portion whichnormally :is not much larger than a conventional twenty-five cent piece,and it is extremely difiicult, if not impossible, to readily locate samewithout the use of ones eyes. Of course, it is barely possible that byfeeling around for some length of time, the driver might eventuallylocate said projecting snulfer tab without ever diverting his eyesdownwardly toward the ash tray in order to visually locate same.However, such a feeling-around type of operation for the purpose oflocating the snuffer tab is quite likely to lead to the inadvertentstriking of the ignited end of the cigarette on some portion of theprojecting ash tray drawer or some portion of the dashboard, or thelike, whereby to cause a portion of the ignited tip end of the cigaretteto possibly be knocked off of the cigarette butt and to fall into thebody of the car and perhaps onto a forward rug portion, or the like,which would be extremely likely to cause a fire and would be very likelyto cause the driver to divert his eyes downwardly in an attempt toquickly locate the hot burning ember knocked off of the cigarette tipfor the purpose of extinguishing same before such a fire is caused. Inother words, the prior art type of dashboard-mounted ash tray isrelatively dangerous for the driver of the motor vehicle to use since itis extremely likely to cause him to divert his attention from the roadand the proper performance of his driving duties perhaps just longenough to cause a serious accident.

There is an additional prior art problem faced by a person who wishes toextinguish a cigarette in a conventional prior art motor vehicle ashtray in the manner referred to hereinbefore, which comprises thedifficulty of fully and completely extinguishing the ignited tip end ofthe cigarette in the conventional horizontally projecting cigarettesnutfer tab. Frequently the ignited tip end of the cigarette will onlybe partially extinguished on such a conventional snutfer tab in aconventional motor vehicle ash tray, and the butt will then be droppedin the ash tray and, in many cases, the ash tray will then be closedwith respect to the dashboard. However, if the ignited tip end of thecigarette butt was not fully extinguished and had even one small emberremaining among the ashes of the tip end, this may reignite theremaining unburned portion of the cigarette butt which is stillconnected to the ignited tip end and, therefore, conveniently adjacentfor such reignition. Also, it is possible that such a non-extinguishedportion or ember of the ignited tip end of one cigarette butt may comeinto contact with the unburned portion of another cigarette butt in theash tray containing both and may ignite said second-mentioned unburnedcigarette butt portion. In either case, smoke will be produced withinthe ash tray and will be disseminated out into the interior of the bodyportion of the motor vehicle, which may be quite irritating and annoyingto the occupants thereof. This is particularly true when incompletecombustion or smoldering occurs, which produces a rather large amount ofhighly irritating smoke. Normally when this occurs, the driver of themotor vehicle will feel impelled to reopen the ash tray to attempt tofind the smoldering cigarette butt and to fully extinguish same in orderto stop the undesirable smoldering and smoke-producing action thereof.However, it will be understood that this normally will require closevisual attention of the driver of the motor vehicle and will, therefore,necessitate that he remove his eyes from the road, which, as pointed outhereinbefore, is dangerous and may cause a serious accident.

Both of the above-mentioned prior art problems are completely met andovercome in and through the use of the novel device of the presentinvention, since the cigarette ignited-end extinguisher means and debrisreceptacle of the present invention is so positioned within the motorvehicle dash-board-mounted ash tray as to cover a substantial area at alocation very easy to find and locate without the necessity of divertingones eyes toward the ash tray to look for it. In other words, the driverof a motor vehicle having its ash tray equipped with the novel device ofthe present invention will need only to first draw out (or swing out)the ash tray and to then place the ignited end of the cigarette buttdownwardly at virtually any spot of the very substantial area of thecigarette ignited-end cut-off panel means, comprising a part of thedevice of the present invention, which will be coextensive with a verysubstantial area of the open top of the ash tray so that it can belocated with no difliculty at all without the use of the drivers eyes.Then the driver merely laterally moves or reciprocates the cigarettebutt while still in its inverted position, which shears or cuts off theignited burning tip end of the cigarette to the level of what might becalled a junction plane between burned and unburned portions of thecigarette tip so that the remaining butt portion of the cigarette bodythat remains in the drivers fingers after the shearing operation justdescribed will have no portion which is ignitedin other words, will becompletely extinguished and can be dropped into thecigarette-butt-receiving receptacle region or portion of the ash tray.

It will be noted that the sheared-oil ignited burning tip 4 end of thecigarette falls below the cut-off panel means, in the form of debris,into a debris receptacle or tray portion positioned below the cut-offpanel means and isolated from the previously-mentionedcigarette-buttreceiving receptacle region or portion of the ash tray,thereby preventing any of said sheared-off tip end portion of thecigarette which may still be ignited from igniting any of the separatefully-extinguished and unburned cigarette butt portions.

It should be noted that each sheared-off cigarette tip end, whicheffectively comprises the debris mentioned above and which is isolatedfrom the unburned cigarette butts, usually comprises substantiallyentirely ashes, and hot embers formed mainly of ashes, which hadpreviously comprised the usually conical or frusto-conical ignitedburning tip end of the cigarette, and that since the material thereof isnormally substantially fully burned, very little further burning actionwill occur after said ignited burning tip end of the cigarette issheared off by the cutoff panel means in the manner referred tohereinabove. Thus, said isolated ignited burning tip end debris willnormally not support combustion for more than a few moments and will goout, of its own volition, since there is nothing left to burn. Thus,there will be no undesirable smoking fumes emitted from the cigaretteash tray in the undesirable manner of conventional prior art ash traysafter an attempted cigarette-extinguishing operation performed on theconventional projecting snutfer tab, which is usually an incompleteextinguishing operation, and which, therefore, frequently results in theremaining butt portion being reignited whereby to cause such smokingfumes to be emitted from the ash tray even if closed for a substantialperiod of time. This undesirable prior art feature is completelyeliminated in and through the novel device of the present invention forthe reasons noted above.

It should also be noted that the device of the present invention may beemployed in association with motor vhicle ash trays located at positionsother than the dashboard of a motor vehicle and may be employed in homeor oflice ash trays or other ash trays wherever the advantages referredto hereinbefore are desired.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the word cigarette, as usedthroughout this application, should be considered as exemplary andillustrative only and not as specifically limiting the invention to usefor extinguishing the ignited end of the type of smokers article whichis conventionally called a cigarette. Actually, the word cigarette is tobe broadly construed as covering any functionally equivalent smokersarticlefor example, a cigar of any of the various different sizesthereof which, when smoked, has an ignited tip end portion which, aftercompletion of the smoking operation, is desired to be eX- tinguished.Therefore, throughout this application, the word cigarette is to be readand broadly construed as having such a broad and generic meaning.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a novel cigarette ignited-end extinguisher means and debrisreceptacle which may comprise a part of an ash tray or which maycomprise an attachment structure adapted for attachment to a preexistingash tray, whereby to convert such a pre-existing ash tray into an ashtray having any or all of the advantages of the present inventionreferred to herein and including any or all of the features referred toherein generically and/or specifically and individually or incombination and which is of extremely simple, inexpensive, virtuallyuniversally adaptable and mountable construction suitable for ready massmanufacture at a very low cost, both as to initial capital investmentand as to the per-unit production cost, whereby to be conducive towidespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description vention), andsaid objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after acareful study of the detailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention,several exemplary embodiments are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheetand are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional, perspective view of one exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional, perspective view illustratirig theapparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 in removablymounted relationship on theconventional rearwardlyprojecting snuifer tab of the conventional motorvehicle ash tray best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along theplane indicated by the arrows 4-4 of FIG. 3 and illustrates thecigarette ignited-end extinguishing operation.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken substantially in the direction of thearrows 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional View taken substantially along theplane indicated by the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a portion of the cut-off panel means ofFIG. 4 after the ignited burning tip end of the cigarette butt has beenmoved downwardly from the position of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is an operative sequential view which is third in the operativesequence comprising FIGS. 4, 7, and 8.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a slight modification of theinvention.

FIG. 10 is ,a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe plane of the arrows 1010 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a greatly-reduced-size top plan view illustrating a furtherslight modification of the invention.

Generally speaking, the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. l-8 comprises a cigarette ignited-end cut-off panelmeans, such as is generally designated at 20, which is shown as being ofsubstantially rectangular shape, although it should be clearlyunderstood that it is not specifically so limited. The cut-off panelmeans has a plurality of through-apertures 22 extending verticallytherethrough and separated from each other by non-apertured portions 24and with each through-aperture 22 having an effective diameter slightlyless than the diameter of the unburned body portion 26 of a cigarette,generally indicated at 28, but adapted to receive therethrough theignited burning tip end 30 of the cigarette 28, which is usually ofslightly frusto-conical shape and, therefore, slightly smaller indiameter than the unburned body portion 26 of the cigarette 28 andwhich, in any case, is composed largely of burned ash and glowing embersof ash and which, therefore, can be readily forced downwardly throughany one of the corresponding apertures 22 since it otters littleresistance to such forcible insertion of said burning tip end 30downwardly through any one of the apertures 22.

The downward insertion, just referred to, of the burn- .ing tip end 30through any one of the apertures 22 of the cut-off panel means 20 willnormally occur only until what might be termed a junction plane, such asthat shown in broken lines at 32 in FIGS. 4, 7, and 8 reaches the levelof the cut-off panel means 20, as is clearly *shown in FIG. 7. When thisoccurs, the more rigid consistency of the unburned tobacco in theunburned body portion 26 of the cigarette 28 immediately above saidjunction plane 32 will prevent further downward movement of thecigarette 28. Thus it will be seen that sub ,stantially all of theburning tip end 30 of the cigarette,

which is composed largely of ash and burning embers made of hot ash,will lie below the cut-olf panel means 20, while substantially all ofthe unburned body portion 26 of the cigarette 28 will lie above thelevel of the cut off panel means 20 when in the fully inserted positionshown in FIG. 7. Then the unburned body portion 26 of the cigarette 28is laterally reciprocated in any lateral direction, such as indicated bythe directional arrow 34 in FIG. 8, for example, which results in theignited buming tip end 30 being completely severed, sheared off, andcut01f from the unburned body portion 26 of the cigarette butt 28substantially along said previously-mentioned junction plane 32, whichmay also be said to effectively comprise what might be termed a cut-offplane.

After completion of the above-described cut-off or shearing operation,the now-severed ignited burning tip end 30, which comprises largelyashes and burning embers comprising hot ashes, will drop downwardly fromthe aperture 22 into the hollow interior 36 of the lower burning debrisreceptacle or tray, generally indicated at 38, which is best shown inFIGS. 1 and 4.

The remaining unburned body portion 26 of the cigarette butt 28 may bedropped into the cigarette-buttreceiving receptacle region or portion ofthe ash tray which is generally designated by the reference numeral 42.

It will be noted that the burning-debris receptacle and tray 38completely isolate all of the sheared-off cigarette ignited burning tipend portions 30 from any of the unburned cigarette body portions 26 inthe cigarette-buttreceiving receptacle region or portion 40 of the ashtray 42. This prevents any of the hot ashes 30 from igniting any of theunburned cigarette butt body portions 26 and, since the cut-ofl ignitedburning tip end portions 30 comprise largely ashes and a small portionof hot embers comprising hot ashes, it will be understood that virtuallyall of the material of which said severed burned tip ends 30 arecomposed has already been burned and, therefore, they will go out veryquickly as they rest within the burning-debris receptacle and tray 38.Thus there will be no long-continuing smoldering of cigarette butts ashas occurred frequently on using prior art ash trays without the novelapparatus of the present invention.

Since the debris which will accumulate in the bottom of the debrisreceptacle and tray 38 will comprise substantially and entirely ashes,said debris receptacle and tray 38 will not need to be emptied veryfrequently but when this is desired, it may be accomplished by invertingthe combination structure comprising: the cut-off panel means 20 and theunderlying debris receptacle and tray 38 so that the accumulated ashesmay be emptied out through the multiple apertures 22, or the near sideof the debris receptacle and tray means may be optionally open at thelocation indicated in broken lines at 44 in FIG. 1 so that the debrisreceptacle and tray 38 need only be tilted so as to cause all of the ashdebris which may be contained therein to slide out of said optionalemptying opening 44. Of course, it should be understood that saidoptional opening 44 is normally effectively closed when the completedevice is in mounted operative relationship within the conventionalmotor vehicle ash tray 42, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, by reason ofits closely adjacent position with respect to the inside of the frontwall 46 of the motor vehicle ash tray 42.

The above description functionally describes the operation of thecigarette ignited-end cut-off panel means 20 and the burning-debrisreceptacle and tray 38 positioned therebelow. However, to this point nomeans for mounting the combination structure, comprising the cut-offpanel means 20 and the underlying debris receptacle and tray 38, withrespect to the ash tray 42 has been described, and this has beenpurposeful since the mounting may assume a number of different formswithout in any way interfering with the above-described novel featuresof the invention relating to the cut-off panel means 20 and theunderlying debris receptacle and tray 38.

However, in the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 1-8, said combination structure is controllably removably mountedwith respect to the ash tray 42. (which, in said exemplary form, isshown as comprising the conventional motor vehicle ash tray) by novelattachment and mounting means, such as generally designated by thereference numeral 48, and which, in said exemplary first form of theinvention, comprises a horizontal slot-defining resilient upper fastenerstrap or lip member 50 folded down from the top edge of the front wallpart 54F and suitably fastened at opposite ends as indicated at 52 tothe corresponding top edge portions of the two upstanding side wallparts 548 of the complete wall means 54 extending completely around thecut-off panel means 20 and effectively defining a cigarette receivertray region, such as is generally indicated at 56. The novel resilientupper fastener strap or lip member 50, together with the pierced andinwardly formed lower lip member 51, defines the horizontal slot 58which is adapted to receive the conventional horizontally projectingsnutfer tab 60 shown projecting rearwardly from the front wall 46 of theconventional motor vehicle ash tray 42. The vertical dimensions of theslot 53 are such as to require the application of some force in order toforce the slotdefining upper fastener strap 50 and lower lip member 51over the projecting snufr'er tab 60 and thus produces what might becalled a forcibly resiliently slidably caused frictional engagementbetween the projecting snuffer tab 60 and said attachment means 48,which will positively mount the entire device in the properrelationship, such as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, for use in the mannerdescribed hereinbefore. However, it should be noted that while theattachment means 48 will firmly mount the complete composite structure,comprising the cut-off panel means 20 and the underlying debrisreceptacle and tray 38, in the operative position best shown in FIGS. 3and 4 for use in the manner described hereinbefore, it should beunderstood that said complete composite device can be completely removedfrom the projecting snutfer tab 60 when desired.

The previously-mentioned cigarette receiver tray region 56 definedwithin the upstanding side wall means 54 lies above the level of thecut-off panel means 20 and either coincident with or slightly below thetop level of the conventional motor vehicle ash tray 42 and may be usedfor the purpose of acting as a temporary ignited-cigarette or cigarettebutt receiver, if desired.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a slight modification of the invention whereincorresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals,followed by the letter a, however. In this modification it will be notedthat the ash tray 42a is of a different type from the ash tray 42 of thefirst form of the invention and comprises a home or office ash tray, orthe like, which is shown as being of substantially circularconfiguration, as seen in plan view, although not specifically solimited, and which has a cigarette-butt-receiving receptacle region orportion 40a which is of substantially annular configuration encircling acentrally positioned and substantially circular debris receptacle regionor portion 38a. In this modifica tion the cut-off panel means a is ofsubstantially circular shape as seen in top plan view and lies acrossthe circular opening defined above the hollow interior region 36a of thedebris receptacle 38a and rests upon an annular shoulder or lip 62formed within the circular side wall portion 64 defining said receptacle38a. Of course, said cut-off panel means 20a is removable from saidposition, when desired. Furthermore, it should be noted that cigaretterest cut-outs 66 are formed at desired locations around the periphery ofthe upper rim of said wall portion 64. The complete modified form of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. '9 and 10, with the exception of thecutoff panel means 201:, may be made of ceramic material, molded plasticmaterial (of course, of a heat-resistant and fire-resistant type), or ofglass or metallic material, if desired.

FIG. 11 merely illustrates a further modification wherein the right ashtray portion, generally designated at 42b,

effectively comprises the cigarette-butt-receiving receptacle portion40b, while the left ash tray portion effectively comprises theburning-debris receptacle 38b and has the cut-off panel means 20boverlying same. The left and right ash tray portions may comprise twoseparate ash trays, as often found adjacent to rear seat interiorportions of an automobile, or may comprise two different sections of onecommon ash tray.

It should be noted that the attachment means 48 of the firstform of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. 1-8 may be modified very substantiallywithin the broad spirit, scope, and teachings of the present invention.For example, although not to be construed in a limiting sense, the lowerresilient lip 51 may have opposite outer side edges thereof formedupwardly so as to be of substantially U- shaped configuration, as seenin FIG. 6 (or the upper resilient strap member 50 may be similarlyformed, although inverted), whereby to resiliently engage side edgeportions of the conventional horizontally projecting snuffer tab 60, andsaid upwardly (or downwardly) formed side edges may be resilientlydefiectable to a degree such as to be capable of receiving and makingfirm engagement with projecting snutfer tabs of various widths. Ofcourse, this is also true with respect to the upper strap or lip 50 andthe main horizontal central portion of the lower resilient lip 5lthatis, they may also be so arranged and of a resilient nature such as to becapable of receiving and making firm vertical engagement with snuffertabs of various vertical thickness. Both of these features provide for avirtually universal adaptability of the attachment means 48 so that itwill be capable of positive firm mounting attachment with respect tovirtually any snutfer tab of virtually any size, shape, and location.Also, it should be noted that additional modifications of saidattachment means 48 within the broad scope and teachings of theinvention for cooperation with various different types of snufier tabs,projecting elements, or structural portions of conventional ash traysmay be employed in lieu of the specific attachment means designated at48 in the first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 18, and allsuch structurally and/ or functionally equivalent attachment means(including initially provided permanent attachment means) are intendedto be included and comprehended within the broad scope of the presentinvention and application as fully as if illustrated and described indetail herein.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept if the present invention.

I claim: 7

1. A cigarette ignited-end extinguisher means and debris receptacle foran ash tray, comprising: a cigarette ignitedend cut-off panel meanshaving a plurality of throughapertures separated by non-aperturedportions and with each through-aperture having an effective diameterslightly less than the diameter of the unburned body portion of acigarette and adapted to receive therethrough an ignited burning tip endportion of a cigarette to the extent of a junction plane between burnedand unburned portions of the cigarette for subsequent lateralreciprocation whereby to shear and cut off the burning tip end portionof the cigarette substantially along said junction plane, thusphysically separating the burning tip end portion of the cigarette fromthe unburned portion of the cigarette body and converting said separatedburning tip end portion into debris adapted to drop, under the action ofgravity, into a debris-receiving region below said cut-olf panel means;an attachment and mounting means for mounting and attaching said cut-offpanel means to an ash tray having a cigarette-butt-receiving receptacleregion and over an underlying debris-receiving region isolated from thecigarette-butt-receiving receptacle region of the ash tray; saidattachment and mounting means being connected to one edge of saidcut-off panel means and being removably engageable with a conventionalprojecting snuifer tab of a conventional motor vehicle ash tray for saidmounting of said cut-off panel means and said debris receptacle and trayas a unit within an interior region of a conventional motor vehicle ashtray directly superimposed upon a debris-receiving region isolated froma cigarette-butt-receiving receptacle region of a conventional motorvehicle ash tray, said attachment and mounting means comprising ahorizontal slot-defining resilient fastener strap member forciblyresiliently slidably and friction'ally engageable with a conventionalhorizontally projecting snutfer tab conventionally carried by oneupstanding wall of a conventional motor vehicle ash tray.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cut-oft panel means isprovided with upstanding side wall means defining a cigarette receivertray region lying above the level of said cut-ofi panel means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cut-off panel meanseffectively comprises a thin sheet of heatresistant material whereinsaid through-apertures are of substantially circular plan viewconfiguration.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cut-off panel meansefiectively comprises an integral thin sheet of metallic materialwherein said through-apertures are of substantially circular plan viewconfiguration, thus efiectively comprising a metallic sieve made ofperforated sheet metal, wherein the ratio of the effective area of allthrough-apertures to the effective area of the complete cut-off panelmeans is at least one to two.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 146,267 1/ 1947 Quigley.

1,635,395 7/1927 Boe. 1,830,543 11/1931 Heise. 1,964,388 6/1934 Simpsonl3l235 X 1,988,362 1/1935 Quackenbush.. 2,044,377 6/1936 Bashur.2,307,645 1/1943 Smith. 2,574,813 11/1951 Cadrain. 2,905,185 9/1959Croom 13l-235 3,099,270 7/ 1963 Garson 13 l--240 JOSEPH S. REICH,Primary Examiner.

